Minimally invasive interventions for lower back pain may work as well as the more conventional surgical approach but cost much less, according to a European analysis.

There is little difference in clinical outcomes or social impact of lower back pain between Belgium and the Netherlands, said co-author Jan van Zundert, M.D., of the Ziekenhuis Oost-Limbur here. However, Belgians tend to rely on expensive surgery while Netherlanders take a less-invasive, multi-disciplinary, and more-cost effective approach.

Reporting in the September issue of Pain Practice, Dr. van Zundert and colleague Maarten van Kleef, M.D., Ph.D., of the University Hospital of Maastricht, The Netherlands, calculated the per-patient costs and the popularity of various treatment options for lower back pain in Belgium and the Netherlands, two neighboring countries with different social security systems and reimbursement schedules. Data were obtained from national databases.

Treatment options included surgery and medication, which were labeled conventional, and techniques such as transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) and radiofrequency therapy, which were labeled interventional.